40 Days for Life effort concludes with big-time testimony
By Tom Maguire Associate editor The sidewalk prayer warrior recounted a precious hour. Michele Ryan, of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Syracuse, prayed outside Planned Parenthood for 29 days in the 40 Days for Life Syracuse Campaign. For 10 years she has shown up. She...
For 74th year, OLP makes it delectable for the electorate
By Tom Maguire Associate editor They’re still there, a lively assemblage of cooks, servers and patrons. The 74th Annual Election Day Spaghetti Supper at Our Lady of Pompei School in Syracuse was on target at lunchtime Nov. 7, said the OLP/St. Peter Church pastor,...
Catholic Charities centennial celebration reaches its peak with Mass, reception
By Dc. Tom Cuskey Editor The culmination of Catholic Charities’ centennial anniversary observance took place on Sunday, Nov. 5, with Mass and a reception at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The celebration was the final event in a months-long schedule of...
K. of C. Council at St. John’s in Camden donates new coats to local schoolchildren
The Knights of Columbus Council from St. John the Evangelist Church, Camden, recently gave away five cases of brand-new coats to local schoolchildren! Pictured are K. of C. representative Tom Hickey and Father John F. Hogan Jr. with Arron Ferretti and other school...
CC’s 7th director reflects on serving soldiers and neediest
Editor’s note: This article concludes the Sun’s series honoring the 100th year of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Syracuse. By Tom Maguire Associate editor His principles were in place but his marching was off. In his early service as a military chaplain, Msgr....
In humble service
Rite of Lector and Acolyte for Permanent Diaconate takes place at Cathedral By Eileen Jevis Staff writer Eight candidates for Permanent Diaconate and 10 aspirants have pledged to become ambassadors of Christ at a Mass and celebration Nov. 5 at the Cathedral of the...
Statement of Bishop Douglas J. Lucia: Care for Our Common Home
(Catholic Sun file photo) November 21, 2023 Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation! Echoing the words of St. Francis of Assisi in his Canticle of Creation, in these chilly November days, I pray that God’s peace and blessings may warm your hearts and homes. I want...
Lace Up for the Gratitude Run
ABOVE: Fr. Joseph O’Connor (2nd from right), pastor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, warms up for last year’s run with some friends. An annual tradition at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Baldwinsville brings parishioners in neighboring communities together in...
Obituary: Father Wilbur J. Votraw, pastor and chaplain
Father Wilbur J. Votraw, a diocesan priest for 68 years, passed away on November 14, 2023. He served the Diocese of Syracuse as priest, pastor, hospital chaplain and instructor. Born in Syracuse on March 29, 1929 to Wilbur and Emma (Koshia) Votraw, Fr. Votraw’s...
The people turn out for Deacon Tom Harley
Benefit fundraiser blooms into a day of fun for Deacon Tom By Dc. Gary DiLallo Contributing writer Photos courtesy Gary DiLallo/Terri Blosser Deacon Tom Harley has faithfully served the people of the Southern Tier for 30 years. However, in November 2022, he was...
Baldwinsville parish presentation helps connect mind, body, spirit
By Dc. Tom Cuskey, Editor The topic seemed rather heady: the intersection of neuroscience, spirituality and positive psychology. But as Anne Kertz Kernion explained, it’s an important intersection all of us should traverse on the road to full health. Kernion, an...
Praying for answers to our Facebook Saints Quiz?
Schools celebrate All Saints, Vocations Week If you visited The Catholic Sun on Facebook last week, you hopefully saw our All Saints Day Challenge, based on the above photo, courtesy of St. Mary’s Academy in Baldwinsville. Some very creative fourth grade students...
In fellowship and prayer
Hundreds gather for Catholic Women’s Conference By Eileen Jevis Staff writer On Saturday, Nov. 11, over 600 women attended the 13th annual Syracuse Catholic Women’s Conference at the Onondaga County Civic Center. The conference takes place to cultivate the spiritual...
Tragedy turns to thankfulness Family creates foundation to honor daughter
By Eileen Jevis Staff writer On Jan. 4, 2017, the lives of Kelly Quinn Shetsky and her husband Mark Shetsky were forever changed when their 3-year-old daughter Regan was killed when she was struck by a car in the parking lot of her Syracuse nursery school. Mark...
Election Day winner: Our Lady of Pompei’s Spaghetti Supper
By Dc. Tom Cuskey Seventy-four years old and still really cookin’, it’s a Northside Syracuse tradition that never gets old. The annual Election Day Dinner at Our Lady of Pompei Church served up generous portions of spaghetti, meatballs and fun as everyday people,...
A milestone is observed, and a legend goes home
ABOVE: Father Charles J. Fahey helps break ground for the St. Camillus nursing home on Nov. 20, 1967. With him are architect Maurice J. Finnegan Jr., left, and attorney John J. “Bud” Costello. Catholic Charities centennial celebration marked by joy, sadness By Dc. Tom...
We remember Monsignor Charles Fahey
The Diocese of Syracuse is mourning the death of Msgr. Charles J. Fahey, a priest whose legacy extends well beyond the boundaries of our seven-county region. Msgr. passed away on Sunday, November 5, 2023 at the age of 90. This week’s Catholic Sun cover story is...
Team Fahey boosted Catholic Charities with pros and volunteers
Editor’s note: This continues the Sun’s series on the 100th anniversary year for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Syracuse. The series concludes in our next issue with coverage of the CC anniversary Mass and a profile of Msgr. Ronald C. Bill, who headed the...
Project COMPASSION: Pastoral care training for lay ministers
By Eileen Jevis Staff writer Vincent D’Angelo is a parishioner at Holy Family Church in Syracuse. He is also the middle school youth minister and assists with faith formation, sacramental preparation and the high school programs. D’Angelo was one of approximately 45...
Praising God through song (Part 4)
Editor’s note: This is the last of a four-part series on some of the liturgical music shared in our diocese. By Eileen Jevis Staff writer “The music at Our Lady of Good Counsel is not a spectator sport,” said Music Director Drew Deskur who encourages all that are...
HFS Norwich pet blessing
On Oct. 4, Holy Family School in Norwich held a Blessing of the Pets presented by Father Tony Mathew of St. Bartholomew’s. The blessing honors the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the school’s Saint of the Month for October. Students brought photos of their pets as...
Planting vocation seeds: honoring our altar servers
Above: Servers from Sacred Heart Parish, Cicero, attended the 2022 Altar Server Celebration. By Dc. Tom Cuskey Editor They are part of countless liturgies in parishes across the diocese. They vest in albs, or perhaps cassock and surplice. They move about the...
Endicott pastor honored for excellence by seminary alma mater
Father Richard P. Prior was recently awarded the Robert F. Leavitt Award for Leadership in Pastoral Excellence by his alma mater, St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore, Md. Fr. Prior received the award at St. Mary’s annual Alumni Day celebration from Fr....
Celebrating life at Seton Catholic
Respect Life Month was celebrated throughout the Diocese of Syracuse through the efforts of the diocesan Office of Family/Respect Life. Masses for Life are an important part of the awareness-raising efforts. Bishop Douglas J. Lucia celebrated the special liturgy at...
HOPE Appeal funding supports critical services
ABOVE: Diocesan Deaf Ministry director Michele Murphy (left) and Hope Appeal executive director Beth Hoey meet with a deaf parishioner from the area. Ministering to the sick and dying By Eileen Jevis Staff writer “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the...
Collaboration fuels Utica-area faith formation efforts
Above: Students work on an assignment in Mary Beth Harrod’s class at St. Mary of Mount Carmel / Blessed Sacrament Parish in Utica. Harrod is Faith Formation leader for grades 7 through 10 at Historic Old St. John’s Parish in Utica. By Fran Perritano Contributing...
Four CBA students named to National Merit honors list
Above: Pictured (l-r): CBA Principal Paul Gasparini, Emily Tymkiw, Cooper Marko, Max Lachut and Ryan Storie. DeWitt — Four Christian Brothers Academy students have been named Commended Students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. The students are Max...
Diocese announces two pastoral appointments
October 28, 2023 6PM The Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse has announced two pastoral appointments: Rev. Malachi Clark: Currently Parochial Vicar of Holy Family Church, Syracuse, and sacramental minister at St. Ann Church, Manlius, has been appointed Parochial...
Praising God through song (Part 3)
Editor’s note: This is the third of a four-part series on some of the liturgical music shared in our diocese. By Eileen Jevis Staff writer Tom Andino is the former director of Campus Ministry, Liturgy, & Music at Le Moyne College. For over 20 years, he encouraged...
